This invention relates generally to telecommunications and specifically to a method and system for multicasting call notifications.
Since the use of the public Internet has become increasingly popular as one of the world""s premier sources of communications, new and innovative technologies have been developed to tap into the Internet""s vast resources. This new form of communication has sprouted numerous technological innovations and services that benefit both consumers and industry. One of these innovations is the transmission of voice over the Internet.
In the mid to late 1970s, experiments in the transmission of voice over the Internet were conducted as part of an ongoing research program sponsored by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In the mid 1980s, UNIX-based workstations were used to conduct regular audio/video conferencing sessions in modest quantities over the Internet. These experimental applications were extended in the late 1980s with larger scale, one-way multicasting of voice and video. In 1995 a small company, VocalTec Communications Ltd., commercially introduced a software package that was capable of providing two way voice communications between multi-media PCs connected to the Internet.
Telephony over the Internet offers users a low cost service that is distance and border insensitive. For the current cost of Internet access (at low hourly rates or unlimited use flat fees) the caller can hold a voice conversation with another PC user connected to the Internet. In the case where one or both ends have flat fee connections to the Internet, the call is free of additional charges. This makes Internet telephony an attractive alternative to cost conscious consumers.
Unfortunately, Internet telephony or Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) suffers from a number of problems. The voice quality across the Internet is not as good as typical telephone toll quality and there are significant delays experienced during the conversation. In addition, Internet telephones do not have the benefit of the plethora of added services that are available through standard switched telephones.
The present invention relates to the growing need for a smooth integration of evolving telephony features with evolving computer functionality. The lines between the technologies are becoming increasingly blurred as companies from both disciplines strive to increase their market share, and maximize on the global mobility. This trend to further integrate telephones and PCs should continue as the global market for both technologies expands. Although the trend is clear, the trick is to integrate features without adding expensive equipment, awkward interfaces, or lesser quality.
One specific problem addressed by the present invention is to ensure that call forwarding or xe2x80x9cfollow mexe2x80x9d services can reach customers when not available by phone. Current technology from the telephony standpoint, e.g., existing MCI One service, is restricted to standard telephone devices. The present invention therefore provides a solution that will allow existing technologies to become more flexible and efficient.
Another specific example where the present invention can be used is in xe2x80x9cfind-mexe2x80x9d systems. In a find-me system, a caller calls a subscriber by dialing a single telephone number. The service provider takes this telephone number and consults a database where the subscriber has provided a number of telephone numbers (a call list) where he can be reached. Each of these numbers is then sequentially called until one of the phones is answered. With the present invention, computers and internet telephones can be included in a subscriber""s call list.
Yet another specific application of the present invention relates to conferencing, whether it be voice, data, and/or video. The present invention provides the advantage of allowing a party who is initiating a conference to contact one telephone number that will automatically cause all other participants to be simultaneously notified.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for communication over a network which can be both circuit-switched and packet-switched. In this method, a call notification is simultaneously broadcast (multicast) to a plurality of communication devices. These communication devices include devices such as telephones, pagers, computers, and voice mail systems. The addresses (e.g., telephone numbers) are stored in a database that is queried based on the call notification. For example, this method can be used in a find-me system or to initiate a conference call.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a communication system in which a plurality of converters are each operable to sample voice signals and create digital packets that contain a digital representation of the voice signals. Each converter might also create voice signals from a digital packet. A storage device contains a database of records each of which includes a call list of telephone numbers associated with each of a plurality of subscribers. The system also includes a computer system that operates under control of software. Upon receipt of a call notification, the software causes the computer system to query the database to retrieve a record associated with the call notification and to multicast digital call notification packets to a plurality of the converters. The digital notification packets include information relating to the call list of telephone numbers in the received record.
The present invention has a number of advantages over present systems. For example, the present invention can utilize the commonly implemented Internet Protocol (IP), e.g., through an internet service provider (ISP), in place of standard switching. In follow-me systems, a multi-media personal computer can be used as the called party""s forwarding number. In other words, by dialing the same telephone number you can communicate with the called party through her computer.
This system reduces the waiting time of the caller by simultaneously ringing all numbers in a primary group of telephone numbers. This system also reduces switch traffic for telephone companies by letting the internet service providers (ISPs) do the routing, in effect turning the internet service providers into mini-telephone companies. This system has all of the functionality of standard xe2x80x9cfind mexe2x80x9d type phone systems, but with the added capability of catching the called party online anywhere in the world as long as they are connected to the ISP in some fashion.
An added functionality is the ability of the ISP to notify the user""s computer if they are online and alert them of an incoming phone call. The user could then (using a standard multimedia computer) use a microphone and his computer""s soundcard/speakers to complete the call using his PC. The user could also route the call back to his primary group if he so desired in case he missed the call initially.
For conference calling, only a single telephone number needs to be dialed in order to initiate the call. In commercially available systems, each participant must be contacted individually causing the first person to wait while each of the other people is called. Since all of the participants can be contacted simultaneously by use of the invention, much time can be saved.
The flexibility and convenience of the present invention makes it an attractive alternative or enhancement to presently used systems.